Harry Potter and the Emerald Key
by LR Dale
Summary: It's Harry's 6th year at Hogwarts. He's got a new friend, a new goal, and a mysterious key. The Ministry is finally on his side and Umbridge is gone from Hogwarts. Life seems to be getting better for Harry, but he knows it's a matter of time before Vold
1. An Unexpected Invitation

Disclaimer: Of course I don't own any of this. The characters and many of the stories belong to J. K. Rowling. Some of the plot happens to be my own.  
  
Chapter One - An Unexpected Invitation  
  
The sun was blazing through Harry's window on the first morning of summer. As reluctant as he was to wake up, Dudley's music couldn't have left him in bed even with the use of a Sleeping Charm. He walked to his trunk in the corner and pulled out a dark green t-shirt and some wretched jeans. The jeans had been Dudley's 5 years before and age couldn't help but rip them apart as he stepped into a tear mistaken for the real leg hole. He hobbled a bit and tripped over a book he had been reading the night before.  
"Harry!" screamed his aunt, "stop making such a racket! Make yourself useful now that you're awake you dreadful lazy boy. Get down here and help me cook your uncle's breakfast..."  
She'll never shut up until I get down there, Harry thought. How could she accuse me of making a racket when Dudley is playing his awful music that loud?  
That was the way of life at 4 Privet Dr. Dudley had become much worse since Harry's last summer with him. Harry thought his experience with the dementors (sent by Umbridge, Harry had just recently found out) last summer would have permanently unnerved his cousin, but instead Dudley showed another side to his character and used it to build on his terror over others. He had spent his last school year stealing homework, damaging his school's property, and beating up victims too small to give a fight. Worst of all, he had scared his teachers into giving good marks to him, making his parents pleased with his raise in grades. His dieting his past two years had made his size roughly shrink to the size of a bull walrus. He was much too big even for his parents to control and they had long given up hope of doing so. Dudley spent his days now with a gang of boys as troublesome as he, destroying property around Little Whinging. Not that it mattered to Harry's aunt and uncle. As far as their worries went, at least he didn't display any signs of mag... (Don't say that word!) that Harry did. Besides, he would grow out of his troublesome teens eventually.  
"Put some eggs and toast on, you can have the grape fruit that Dudley didn't eat yesterday," Aunt Petunia screeched as he passed from the hall into the kitchen, "if you make a mess you'll be doing dishes for a week! After you finish I want you to make yourself presentable; Mrs. Figg invited you for cakes and tea today. Although why she'd want to spend time in your company I don't know. AND YOU WILL BE POLITE! I DON'T WANT..."  
Harry ignored her as he always did now. In fact he didn't know he had heard her at all until he automatically put the food on. He was still half-asleep you see, it was before that time in the morning when your senses actually begin to awake and you walk around obliviously. He stared at the eggs as they hissed and gurgled. He had had a strange dream last night, and that was saying something for sure by all the weird dreams he had over the past years. He was sitting down for butterbeer at Hog's Head. A little strange since he rarely went into that rundown Inn. But he wasn't with Ron or Hermione, he was with a goblin. A goblin he reckoned he must have seen at Gringott's because he rarely saw them any other time. There were cats everywhere and Mrs. Figg was running around collecting them. Wait a moment, Harry thought.  
"Aunt Petunia did you say Mrs. Figg invited me over?!" Harry shouted, although not meaning too, he was just taken back.  
"You waste so much of my time, if you would just listen- but anyways, yes she did Harry. And you're going, I don't want to hear any mark of protestation. You'll do what I tell you unless you want to go hungry for the next couple of days." said Aunt Petunia dryly. She was fixing up the table for Uncle Vernon to eat at. He came lumbering in.  
"Morning Petunia, I'm running a little late. No time for breakfast, we have an important meeting at the company. I'll get some coffee and donuts there." said Uncle Vernon hastily. He ran past Harry, ignoring him, as was the normal procedure. "Goodbye Dudley! Have a good day!" And with that note, he was out of the house. Surprisingly quick for a man in his shape.  
Aunt Petunia growled. This had meant she had Harry make his breakfast for nothing. Dudley already haven eaten his meal, she had nothing to do with the food. "You can eat that breakfast now that he's not." She walked out of the room briskly, muttering about how well she treats that troublesome boy.  
Harry didn't need to be told twice. He shoved down the eggs and toast in a minute; it was hardly food compared to what meals he was given at Hogwarts, but around here food of this substance was rarely given to him. He ran upstairs and put his wand in his jeans. He was utterly thrilled that he was going to be involved with someone from the magical world this early in the summer. Since Sirius's death he was unable to find ways to cope. The thought of spending all summer wallowing in his shock didn't appeal to him. After all, not one of the Dursley's knew what had happened, and even if they did, they wouldn't have cared. He needed someone to talk to. Even if it was Mrs. Figg, though a squib, she was a member of the Order. She knew what had happened and perhaps talking to her would make him feel better. Thank goodness Aunt Petunia doesn't know what she is or she'd never allow me to go, Harry thought happily. 


	2. The Package From Moony

Disclaimer: Of course I don't own any of this. The characters and many of the stories belong to J. K. Rowling. Some of the plot happens to be my own.  
  
Chapter Two- The Package From Moony  
  
Harry arrived at Mrs. Figg's house at precisely 11o'clock. He was perhaps a little too eager, when he rang the doorbell too hard it stuck. He could hear it ringing loudly and heard Mrs. Figg's voice above it.  
"Harry is that you dear? Ah broomsticks, you don't have to ring so much, I'm coming, I'm coming!" She opened the door to a desperate Harry, who'd been working furiously to fix the doorbell.  
"I'm so sorry, I erm... must have pressed too hard... um, and it's stuck," he muttered.  
"Not a problem deary," she chuckled. Giving it a hard swipe, the bell stopped sounding. "Come in, come in. I have everything set up in the dining room. She's been working all morning to clean things up, I'm a bit of a mess in my old age..."  
"Who's she?" Harry interrupted, a bit alarmed. He had been expecting a private visit so he could talk to Mrs. Figg about the magical world.  
Mrs. Figg looked surprised at him after a second, and then realized she had left out that detail. "My niece sweetheart, oh don't worry she's a young little witch, lucky for her. Oh this is her, Harry this is Ephiny Davies."  
A girl stepped out from the kitchen to greet him. She had long brown hair and hazel eyes that were looking into his. Something about her was familiar. He had seen her before, must be at school, but certainly not his year.  
"Don't you go to Hogwarts too?" He asked, feeling rather stupid for not knowing her. She had a pretty face that was drawn into a smile. A polite laugh came from it.  
"Ginny had mentioned you were in your own world, I suppose there are a few excuses for it though. I'm in Ravenclaw; I'll be in my fifth year actually."  
He was shocked that he hadn't placed her. After five years, he thought he would have at least known her name. "You're friends with Ginny then?"  
"Oh yes, but I'm not surprised you don't know me, I keep to myself mostly." She looked towards Mrs. Figg. "Aunt Arabella, the cakes are out and the tea should be done, shall we sit down?" Her aunt nodded and Harry followed her into the dining room. He was grateful she had changed the awkward subject. He sat down and watched her get the tea. She was certainly very pretty, but he was annoyed with what she'd said. In my own world? Of course I have excuses for not knowing everyone's name! I've been a LITTLE busy for making everyone my friend. Mrs. Fig cut his thinking short.  
"Ephiny is staying with me this summer, which's one of the reasons I called you over. I hope you two can become friends. It would be nice to see her with someone her own age."  
"Aunty!" Ephiny exclaimed, "I've got plenty of things to do without friends as it is. We've discussed this already..."  
"And I think you could use a good friend anyways. Books can only teach you so much my dear." Mrs. Figg said quietly to her.  
Harry was reminded of Hermione at this notion. Ephiny was pretty and obviously smart to be in Ravenclaw. He did wonder why she didn't have many friends. He felt bad for her embarrassment and so determined to change the subject. "So what other reason did you call me over Mrs. Figg?"  
Mrs. Figg and Ephiny ceased their argument at his question and Mrs. Figg returned her gaze to him. "I have received an owl from Remus Lupin. He asked me to have you here at 12 o'clock so you might receive a package from him."  
"Why wouldn't he just send it to me at the Dursleys?"  
"He mentioned wanting you to leave it here, because it's too valuable to accidentally slip into their hands," she said unconfidently. Obviously she didn't know anymore than he of what it was. He checked the clock; it was only half past 11. Somehow he had to pass the next half-hour in conversation. Now that Ephiny was here, he didn't much want to speak of Sirius anymore. He was thinking of something to talk about, but Ephiny spoke first.  
"You're pretty quiet for your famous reputation Harry. With all the things you've done I expected you to brag about them the entire meal like your house does..." she said while dipping a piece of cake into her tea. Harry was sure he knew now why she didn't have many friends. He didn't think he had heard such a blunt question in quite some time. It annoyed him.  
"They aren't things I like to recall and brag about," he replied. It was a bit too rude, but hard too disguise his immediate dislike. She gave him a rather bored look.  
"Well if your not going to impress me with your great deeds, what else will we talk about?" She said rather ironically.  
"Ephiny! I expect you to show a little more courtesy to our guest. Not everyone is as bad of a person as you imagine. Please give it a rest!" Mrs. Figg said rather harshly. Maybe a bit too harsh, because Ephiny blushed at this.  
"Sorry, I just, well... never mind," she said softly, and she caught his eye.  
Harry was glad that he didn't have to argue. Maybe she's a bit like Hermione would have been if she hadn't had Ron and I around he thought. A smile came to his face; he missed his friends already. He hoped the Weasley's might have him over soon so he wouldn't have to miss them for too long. He might as well try to make the summer better; having a witch nearby would be nice as long as he was at the Dursley's home. Even if she acted as though she should have been in Slytherin rather than Ravenclaw.  
"I should not be in Slytherin! Just because I'm not swooning over you doesn't mean I was put in the wrong house," she said quite angrily.  
"How did you know I was thinking that?!" Said Harry with a gasp of surprise.  
A sly smile came to Ephiny's face, "I don't usually use that power, but I do when I know someone's thinking ill of me. It's a bit like Legilimency, only a bit more advanced since I was born with it. Don't worry, I really don't use it so often. But really! Slytherin!"  
Harry was very irritated now. He reminded himself to study Occlumency harder next year. "Well, Slytherin is where the majority of people are that hates me," he grumbled.  
"She shouldn't have been using that power anyways, you tend to find out more than you'd like to know sometimes, don't you?" Said Mrs. Figg.  
"I don't hate you," said Ephiny again more quiet. She looked a bit more calm and thoughtful. "Listen it's been a rough school year and I'm a bit edgy. I'm sorry, let's start over. Hello Harry, my name is Ephiny."  
It certainly couldn't hurt him to be nice. "Nice to meet you, you're going into you're fifth year huh? It's a killer," he said politely.  
"So I've heard..." she said, but her gaze was focused on the windowsill where a handsome brown owl had flown in. It hopped over the sill and flew onto the table, waiting for someone to untie it's burden. Mrs. Figg collected it and gave the owl a scrap of cake for its pains before it flew away again. She handed the letter and package to Harry. He opened it up, obviously in Lupin's handwriting, it read:  
Harry,  
Your dad always meant for you to have this, and I  
think it's time I gave it to you. I never meant to  
put it off for so long, but I hoped to have found  
more out about it before I did. You'll be turning  
sixteen this summer, and I think it's time I left  
it up to you to figure out what it belongs to.  
Goodluck and hopefully I'll see you soon.  
Remus Lupin  
Harry, who was already puzzled, opened up the small package. A small green key fell out of it. He picked it up, and upon closer inspection it was made of emerald gem, with a small G etched with silver on the bottom. He flipped it over in his hand, the other side revealed more silver etched letters: TRY. Why would his dad leave him such an elaborate key? Without any instructions. Another question popped into his mind, how did his dad know to leave him something? Did he know he was going to be killed? One thing did make sense; an item of this worth was something that the Dursleys would want. It would probably earn them a good amount of cash if sold. It was better to leave it here, just to be safe.  
"Well isn't that a curious thing," remarked Mrs. Figg, "of course you can leave it here for safe keeping."  
Harry was far too puzzled to stay and talk any longer. He just wanted to get home and think about things for awhile. "I really ought to be going. It was good to meet you Ephiny. I'll be seeing you around."  
"Of course Harry dear, oh and maybe you wouldn't mind stopping over sometime this week. It would give you and Ephiny a chance to talk some more. You seem to be getting along fine." He thought he glimpsed a smile in her old eyes. He didn't want to come back and talk to Ephiny. Now that they were acting all friendly, did he have any other choice? He glanced at the key in his hand again, he wanted to come back and see it anyways. He handed the key over to Mrs. Figg reluctantly.  
"Erm... sure thing. I'll see you soon then," he said rather quickly heading off towards the door. What an odd first day of the summer, he thought. He much preferred an odd day to a boring day however. "Uh thanks!" He remembered to say, before dashing out the door towards home. 


End file.
